ASUP may end strike after delegates’ conference

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) may suspend its ongoing after its 12th national delegates’ conference holding at Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State, it was learnt yesterday.

A top member of the union, who spoke in confidence, told our reporter that the government had met about 70 per cent of the union’s demands.

The source said the action would be suspended at the end of the election.

According to him, the action is sustained by the current leadership to ensure that they are re-elected, because “the strike will stifle all opposition to their re-election”.

The source added: “The strike would have been suspended, if not for the political dimension. I am sure that once the National President and his team are re-elected after the conference, he will announce the suspension of the strike.”

But addressing the delegates yesterday, ASUP’s National President, Mr. Chibuzo Asomugha, insisted that the action would be sustained until the system got better.

He said the strike was not against the management of the polytechnics.

The union leader urged members to remain committed to the action, adding: “We will continue with the struggle until we win. We are struggling so that the system can stand firm.

“We are here to reaffirm our faith in the essence of our justified struggle and to wake up to the reality that although successes are being recorded in some of our demands, the engagement is an ongoing concern. I am confident that the leadership of this union at various levels will stay committed to leading the ranks in our collective struggle.”